Wringer



Sept. 7, 1943. M. J. GOULOOZE WRINGER Filed July 1, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. lV/flfT/N J Gauaaazc.

ATTORNEY.

Sept, 7, 1943. M, J. GOULOOZE 2,329,115

WRINGER Filed July 1, 1940 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. MflJET/h J 4001. 0025 ATTORNEY.

p 1943- M. J. GOULOOZE WRINGER Filed July 1, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 \\\\\l w I Sept. 7, 1943. M. J. GOULOOZE WRINGER Filed July 1, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Sept. 7, 1943 WRINGER Martin J. -Goulooze, Grand Rapids, Mich., assignor to Nash-Kelvinator Corporation, Detroit, I Mich, a corporation of Maryland Application July 1, 1940, Serial No. 343,463

5 Claims. (Cl. 68-263) This invention relates to laundry machines, and, more particularly, to clothes wringers.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a washing machine wringer wherein the rolls are held in resilient and quickly releasable cooperative relation in a new and improved manner. i

Another object of this invention is to provide in a clothes wringer a separable and rotatable member for simultaneously and releasably placing the wringer rolls in operative relation with respect to each other and with respect to a driving unit. 1 Q 5 Another object of this invention is to provide in a clothes wringer a separable and rotatable member which has one end normally locked in manually releasable engagement to the wringer frame and which is adapted upon rotation to lock the other end to the frame and to place the wringer rolls in resilient operative relationship with respect to each other.

Another object of this invention is to provide in a clothes wringer a separable and rotatable member which has one end normally locked in manually releasable engagement to the wringer frame and which is adapted upon rotation to lock the other end to the frame and to place the wringer rolls in operative relationship with respect to each other and with respect to a driving unit.

Another object of this invention is to provide in a clothes wringer, wherein a separable member is utilized to retain the wringer rolls in pressure applying condition, a semi-effective element supported by the separable member for latching the member to the frame and a manually operable member for rendering the semi-effective element completely effective for locking the separable member to the frame.

Another object of this invention is to provide in a clothes wringer a rotatable member having eccentric elements thereon for maintaining the wringer rolls in different pressure applying conditions.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a laundry machine embodying features of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. '1;

Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal cross-sectional view taken substantially on line H of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view with parts broken away and parts shown in crosssection showing the clutch moved into operative position;

Fig. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 1-'l of Fig. 5; r

Fig. 8 is a view in cross section of a latch mechanism embodying features of my invention;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 9-9 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary elevational view of a part of a locking mechanism embodying features of my invention with parts broken away, and parts shown in section;

Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on line ||-ll of Fi 10;

Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on line |2l2- of Fig. 10;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially on line l3-I3 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially on line l4-l4 of Fig, 3.

In accordance with my invention, I have Provided a washing machine wringer in which a pair of wringer rolls are held in resilient and quickly releasable relationship within a wringer frame by means of a separable and rotatable member disposed across the top of said frame. This separable and rotatable member is adapted to be locked in a novel manner at one end to the wringer frame in an engagement which is releasable upon application of a very slight pressure. The other end of this member is adapted to be locked to the frame upon rotation. This separable and rotatable member has provisions for placing the wringer rolls in operative relationship with respect to each other and with respect to a driving unit. Release of the quickly releasable end of the separable and rotatable member allows said end to separate from the frame. This separation simultaneously releases the other end thereby completely unlocking the separable and rotatable member from the frame and releasing the wringer rolls from their operative position.

Referring to the drawings, in detail, Fig. 1 shows a washing machine 20 of the conventional household type. Numeral 22 designates the washing machine wringer and 24 the tub. The wringer is preferably pivotally mounted upon an upright housing 28 which is firmly attached to the side of the tub. A frame assembly 28 is provided for the mechanism. The exterior of this frame as well as that of the tub 24 and post 28 preferably has a coating of enamel thereon in order to present a more pleasing appearance as rubber molded about metal rods 33 'and 88 respectively.

The wringer structure 38 includes the frame 28 within which the two rolls 32 and 34 are mounted in a manner to be described below and a separable and rotatable bar or member 48 disposed longitudinally across the top of the frame. A metal cap 42 supported by the separable member 48 is provided as a housing for the top of the wringer. This member 48 is adapted upon being locked to the frame to place the rolls in pressure applying condition and to cause the engagement of the lower roll with a driving unit. Furthermore this member is easily and readily released from its locking engagement with the frame by slight exertion of pressure as will be described below. Its release results in the release of the rolls from pressure applying condition and stops the rotation of the driven roll. a

The lower or driven roll 32 is rotatably mounted near the bottom of the frame 28. Supporting members 44 (see Fi 4) preferably integral with the frame 28 serve as seats for bearings 48 in which the ends of the rod 33 of roll 32 are adapted to rest. A screw 48 is provided in an internally threaded element 58 which is either integral with or firmly attached to the side 'of the frame 28. The head of the screw 48 abuts the end of the rod 33 of the roll 32 thereby limiting any lateral movement due to the thrust of the drive shaft.

The upper roll 34 is provided with resilient mountings 52 (Fig. 4) which are movably supported by guide rods 54. The latter extend through through the supporting members 44 and the bottom of the frame 28 and are provided with heads 58' at their lower extremities and with pins 58 which are adapted to engage with stepped portions 88 of the members 44. Together the heads and pins serve to limit the movement of the rods either upward or downward within the frame. The resilient mountings 52 comprise bracket members 82, bearing retaining members 84, bearings 88, and spring elements 88. The guide rods 54 extend through the bracket members, bearing retaining members and spring elements thereby holding them in alignment. The bearing retaining elements 84 are movable vertically with respect to the bracket members 82 However their upward movement is opposed by the spring elements 88; The latter extend the full height of the bracket members 82 and are retained between the bracket members and the bearing retaining members under a predetermined amount of pressure. The bracket members 82 also serve to limit the end thrust of the roll 34 when-in operation. The springs 88 are heavy type and are such that they tend to hold the upper roll in engagement with the lower roll without being compressed except when work is being done by the rolls or when any undue or excess force due to variable thickness of fabric going through the rolls is exerted.

The frame 28 carries two channelmembers l8 and 12 at opposite ends of said frame. Channel member 18 is held securely to the frame along its sides by means of a recess 14 (Fig. 14) in the frame and at its lower end by means of the member 58 (Fig. 3) which protrudes from the frame. Channel member 12 is fastened to the frame 28 in any suitable manner such as by a screw member 18. Each channel member extends a short distance above the frame 28 and each has a U-shaped channel 18 at the top (Fig. 11)'of the member for receiving the separable and rotatable member 48.

- The separable and rotatable member 48 which is preferably a metal bar is adapted to be disposed longitudinally across the channel members 18 and I2 and to be releasably locked thereto. A lever arm 88 is attached to one end of the member 48 for rotating the member readily by hand. As shown in Fig. 12, the end of the member 48 has a U-shaped groove 8| where it engages with the circular opening 82 of the arm 88. A pin 84 is inserted in the arm across one edge of the circular opening 82 and is adapted to slide around in the groove upon rotation of the arm. Not only does the groove serve to lock the arm to the shaft member 48, but also, due to its U-shaped construction, it is possible after rotating the shaft to a predetermined point to restore the arm 88 to a depending position ithout rotating the shaft member.

The separable member 48 is adapted to be locked at one end in quickly releasable engagement to the channel member 12 (Figs. 7 and 8). T latch member 88 is pivotally suspended from the shaft member 48. This latch member has a cam-shaped cut 88 in one edge which is designed so as to engage with a pin 88 when the member 48 is placed in looking position. The pin 88 is secured to the channel member I2 in any suitable i member 82 is provided. This plate 82 is suspended from the pin 88 which projects through an oval shaped opening 84 in the plate. The elongated hole 84 permits the plate 82 to move vertically for a short distance. The base of the plate member 82 tapers down to a slender projection 88 which is integral therewith and which is adapted to be loosely aligned in an outwardly curved extension I88 of the channelmember 12. A spring element I82 tends to maintain the plate member 82 in its highest vertical position. Along one edge of the plate member 82 is a flange I84,

which extends from the top of the member 82 to a point near the base. The edge of the plate member along which the flange is provided is curved inwardly near the base toward the projection 88. The flange I84 serves to hold the latch member 88 from lateral movement thereby preventing it from slipping out of engagement with the pin 88.

To release the latch member 88 from its engagement with the pin 88 a lever member I88 is provided. This lever member extends transversely through the frame and is pivoted from the pin 88 by means of a vertical extension I88 at the center of said lever member I88. Extending horizontally from both sides of the extension I88 are fingers H8 which are adapted to engage horizontal projections H2 on the plate member 82. Tipping of the lever member I88 about the engages with the flanged top- I40 of a plate mempush the plate member 82 downward thereby allowing the latch member 86 to swing laterally out of engagement with the pin 80. In order to make the lever arm I06 operable from any point near the bite of the wringer rolls, bars II4 are secured to the ends of the lever member I06 and extend along both sides of the wringer. A lever member-I I6 similar to member I06 as shown in Fig. 3 connects the two bars at the other end of the wringer and is pivoted from a pin H8 which is secured to the channel member 10.

The separable and rotatable member 40 is locked at its other end to the channel member 10 of the wringer frame by rotation. A flanged element I (Figs. 3, 10 and 11) is secured to the rotatable member 40 by a pin I2 I As the flanged member is rotated along with member 40 it engages a lip I22 which is preferably integral with the channel member 10. The lip I22 is also preferably eased off in such a manner that when the member 40 is lifted from its locking position in the channel member 12, the flanged member I20 will arc past the lip I 22. However, as long as the shaft 40 is locked to the channel member 12 and the flanged member I20 and lip I22 are in engagement, it is possible to separate the shaft member from the frame.

Rotation of the separable member 40 to complete its locking engagement with the frame also serves to place the wringer rolls in pressure applying position. A pair of cam elements I24 (Figs. 3, 4 and 5) are secured to the separable member 40 by means of pins I26. U-shaped cam guides I28 are loosely carried by the separable member 40 and are adapted to engage the tops of the bracket member 62. The guide rods 54 extend through the base of these cam guide members. Pins I30 at the upper extremities of the guide rods serve to limit the upward movement of the cam guides and consequently that of the separable member 40. As the shaft member is rotated the cam elements I24 bear down on the cam guides which in turn press down upon the bracket members 62. Diiferent degrees of pressure will be exerted upon the bracket members and consequently upon the upper roll as the shaft 40 is rotated. The springs 68 are of such sturdy construction that they sufler little or no compression as the downward pressure is exerted upon the bracket members but the upper roll instead is compressed at the point of engagement with the lower roll.

In order to maintain the rolls in different pres sure applying conditions, the eccentric elements I24 are provided with a plurality of flat surfaces. As these surfaces successively engage the base of the cam guides diflerent predetermined pressures are applied to the upper roll. Since the pressure necessary to wring clothes satisfactorily depends upon the fabric, the cam elements I 24 with their several surfaces are designed so as to en= able proper wringer pressures to be applied in accordance with the fabric used. An indicating member I32 (Fig. 10) is secured to the shaft 40 visible through an opening or eye I34 and serve to indicate to the user at what point in the rotation of the shaft member 40 the desire pressure is obtained.

7 Engagement of the lower roll 32 with the driving unit is also accomplished by the rotation of the separable and rotatable member 40 to a looking position. An annular-shaped segmental member I36 is secured to the shaft member 40 by a pin I38 (in Fig. 6). When the shaft member 40 is rotated, the segmental member I36 ber I42. The latter is pivotally hung from the sides of the channel member 12 by means of yokes I44 and I46. The base of plate member I42 has an inverted U-shaped cut away portion I48 which is. adapted to engage with a groove I50 on a clutch member I52 as shown in Fig. 8. The latter is movably supported on the end 33 of the wringer roll 32, the end 33 being flattened on one or more sides to prevent rotation of the clutch member with respect to the roll. An upwardly projecting flnger I54 extends from the plate member I42 to assist in keeping said mem-.

ber in proper alignment with the segmental member I36. When the member I36 engages with the flanged top I40, the plate member I42 swings on its pivots causing the clutch member I52 to move laterally until it engages with a portion of the gear assembly unit 36 to be described below. When the shaft member 40 is released from its locked position the clutch member I52 is disengaged from the driving unit by a springelement I56.

The gear assembly unit 36 (Figs. 3 and 9) serves to connect a driving unit of any conventional type (not shown) with the driven roll 32. It is enclosed in a housing I58. A splined shaft I extends through the housing I58 and has its lower end fltted into the upper end of a drive shaft I62 extending from the driving unit. Loosely supported on the shaft I60 is a bevel pinion I64. A clutch element I66 is secured to the shaft by a key member I68 and is adapted to move either up or down on the splined shaft. This vertical movement is accomplished by means of a pin member I10 eccentrically disposed on the end of an arm I12. The pin member engages a channel I14 located about the periphery of the clutch member I66. Disposed above the shaft I60 and aligned therewith is a short shaft I16 which is rotatably secured to the housing I68 by means of a member I18 extending into an annular groove I88 on the shaft. Attached to this shaft is another bevel pinion I82 with which the clutch element I66 is also adapted to engage. Rotatably supported in the side of the wringer frame by a cup-shaped base I84 is another gear I86 which is in permanent engagement with both the bevel pinions I64 and I82. Within the cup-shaped base I84 there is locked against rotation a member I88 by a pin I90. This member is adapted to be engaged by the clutch element I52 and is capable of a slight lateral movement due to an elongated hole I92 in its sides through which the pin I is placed. A spring element I90 is inserted between the member I88 and the bottom of the cup I84 in order to resist the lateral movement. When the clutch member I52 moves toward the member I88, if they do not immediately engage, then the rotating member I88 is pressed back against the spring until such time as the two members do engage. The direction of rotation of the member I88 will depend upon which of the gears I64 and I 82 is engaged by the clutch element I66 as will be readily understood. To maintain the clutch element I66 in the desired position, that is neutral, or one of the two speed positions, a spring pressed pin I96 is provided in the housing I58 for projecting into small retaining depressions I31 in the lever arm I12 located at the proper points to correspond with the desired positions.

Secured to the base of the wringer frame and directly below the wringer rolls there is provided a drain pan 200 (Figs. 3 and 13) which slopes outwardly from the longitudinal, axis of the frame in both directions. In order to direct the water from the walls to the proper side of the wringer frame, a tippable guide plate 202 is provided. This plate is pivotally supported from the frame by means of a pin member 204 inserted in the frame 38 and a rodlike member 206 rigidly fastened to the plate. The'latter has a reyersely bent portion 203 which is adapted to engage a spring clip 2I0. The extremities of this spring clip are provided with bearings 2I2 which flrmly but movably grip the end of rod 33 of the driven roll 32. As will readily be understood, the rotation of the driven roll in one direction will cause the spring clip to tip the guide plate to one side holding it there until such time as the direction of the roll is reversed. Then the plate will be tipped to the other side allowing the water to flow to the opposite side of the wringer.

As mentioned above the wringer is preferably mounted upon a post 26 so'as to rotate about a vertical axis which in the present instance is the drive shaft I62. By virtue of this manner of mounting the wringer, it is possible for the user to place the wringer where it is most convenient. To look the wringer in place once it is properly located a spring biased latch member 2I3 is provided. This member is pivotally mounted upon the gear assembly housing I58 by means of a pin 2I4. Its lower extremity is adapted to engage any one of several notches disposed about the periphery of the post 26. To release the wringer from its locked position it is only necessary to press the latch 2I3 inward thereby disengaging its lower extremity from the post 26 and allowing the wringer to swing freely about its vertical axis.

The operation of my improved wringer is as follows. The rolls are set in operative position\ by turning the lever arm 80 to the desired por-! tion as indicated by the indicator dial I32. If the cap should bind for any reason it may be necessary to press slightly thereon before turning arm 80. Pressing down upon the cap 42 pushes the separable and rotatable member 40 down into the channel I8 of the channel members I0 and I2 thereby locking one end to the channel member I2 in quickly releasable engagement. Tuming of the arm 80 causes the flanged member I to engage the lip I22 on the channel member I0 thereby locking the other end of the member 40 to the frame. Turning of the arm 80 also causes the cam elements I24 to rotate and push down upon the tops of the bracket members 62, thereby placing the wringer rolls in resilient relationship. At the same time the segmental member I36 causes the plate I42 to move the clutch collar I52 into engagement with the driving unit. The .rolls then rotate in a direction determined by the position of the lever arm I12.

During normal operation of the wringer, variations in thickness of the clothes passing between the rolls is taken care of, due to the resilient nature of the mounting of the upper roll. The springs 68 are sufficiently flexible to allow the upper roll to rise and fall in accordance with the thickness of the clothes and still maintain sufli cient pressure at all times to satisfactorily wring the clothes. If, however, an abnormal condition arises, such as, the operators hand or clothes being caught between the rolls, or clothes of such thickness being placed between the rolls as to prevent them from rotating, the rolls may be quickly released from their pressure applying condition by simply touching any part of the lever arms I06, H6 or 4. The end of the separable member 40 which is locked to the channel I2 is instantly released. 'Due to the pressureon the upper rolls 34 it jumps upward causing the flanged member I20 to unhook from the lip I22 as the member 40 is forceably pivoted upward about the flange-lip connection thereby releasing the other end. In the event that the member 40 should not pivot upwardly far enough to unhook the flanged member I20 completely from the lip I22 a spring 2I5 surrounding the flanged member I20 and retained between the flange and one side of the U-shaped cam guide I28 is provided. This spring is not powerful enough to rotate the member 40 when the flanged member I20 is in full locking engagement with the lip I22 due to the slight upward pressure exerted on the bar 40 by the main springs 68 but when the flanged member moves sidewise away from the lip out of complete locking engagement therewith upon the upward pivoting .of the member 40 or when the flange member is momentarily jarred from complete frictional engagement with the lip of the convulsive upward leap of'the other end of member 40 the spring 2I5 is sufliciently powerful to cause the member 40 to rotate in a direction to release the flanged member from the lip I22. When the separable member 40 jumps from its locked position in the channel members it thereby allows the spring I56 to force the clutch collar out of engagement with the driving unit and also allows the upper roll to slide upward upon the guide pins 54. The wringer rolls are then no longer in operative position. At this time, the entire release mechanism is in condition to be reset for operation as shown in Fig. 3 by merely turning the lever arm 80. The release bars I06 and H4 are pivotally secured to the frame in such manner as to be restored to normal position upon release by operator.

The bearings 46 and 66 may be made of wood and are interchangeable with each other.

Although only a preferred form of the invention has been illustrated, and that form described in detail, it will .be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a wringer having a frame with two rolls held in resilient cooperative relationship by means of a rotatable separable member disposed across the frame, a mechanism for releasably locking said member to the wringer frame, comprising a flanged element at one end of said separable member adapted upon rotation of said member in one direction to engage in locking relation with a tongue element on said frame, a latch member pivotally supported from the other end of said separable member, a camshaped cut in the side of said latch member adapted to engage with a pin member fastened securely to the frame, a locking member adapted to hold said latch member in fixed engagement with said pin member, a manually operable lever member for moving said locking member out of effective holding position with respect to said latch member, and means for reversing the rotation of said separable member upon release of said latching member.

2. In a wringer having a frame with two rolls held in resilient cooperative relationship by means of a rotatable separable member disposed across the frame, a mechanism for releasably locking said member to the wringer frame, comprising a latch member pivotally suspended from one end of said separable member, means associated with said frame and adapted to be engaged by said latch member in a position for looking, a locking member adapted to hold said latch member in complete locking engagement with said means, a manually operable lever member for moving said locking member out of effective holding position with respect to said latch member, and a flanged element at the other end of said separable member from said latch member adapted after the locking of said latch member to said frame and upon rotation of said rotatable'member about its longitudinal axis to lock said other end of said rotatable member to said frame, said flanged element being adapted upon release ofsaid latch member and upward movement of said rotatable member to disengage from said frame.

3. In a wringer, the combination of a frame, a roll mounted within said frame, a second roll mounted above said first roll in cooperating relation therewith, a rotatable bar disposed across the top of the frame, spring members lying between said rotatable bar and said second roll for resisting the upward movement of said second roll, means for locking one end only of said bar to said frame, a flanged member at the other end of said rotatable bar adapted after the locking of the first mentioned endto the frame and upon-the rotation of said bar about its longitudinal axis to lock said other end to said frame, means attached to said bar adapted upon rotation of said bar to compress said spring members, manually operable means for rendering said first mentioned means ineffective for looking whereby said one end of said bar is released and impelled upward by the action of said compressed springs, and a spring element effective upon the upward movement of said one end of said bar to rotate said bar so as to release the other end of said bar.

4. In a wringer, the combination of a frame, a roll mounted within said frame, a second roll mounted above said first roll in cooperating relation therewith, a rotatable bar disposed across the top of the frame, spring members lying between said rotatable bar and said second roll for resisting the upward movement of said second roll, means for locking one end only of said bar to said frame, a flanged member at the other end of said rotatable bar adapted after the locking of the first mentioned end to the frame and upon the rotation of said bar about its longitudinal axis to lock said other end to said frame, means attached to said bar adapted upon rotation of said bar to compress said spring members, and manually operable means for rendering said first mentioned means ineffective for locking whereby said one end of said bar is released and impelled upward by the action of said compressed springs, said flanged member being adapted to then disengage from said frame upon the upward movement of said one end of said bar.

5. In a wringer having a frame with a pair of rolls mounted one above the other and retained in effective cooperative relationship by means of a retaining member at the top of said frame, a device for releasably locking said retaining member to said frame, comprising, in combination, an elongated fiat plate latching member pivotally suspended at one end from said retaining member, means associated with said frame for engaging said latching member intermediate its ends in a'position for locking, a flat plate locking member vertically arranged in parallelrelationship to said latching member, a spring element adapted to resiliently maintain said locking member in a normal position, a flange formed on said locking plate member having a portion adapted to laterally engage the lower end of said latching member in its normal position for holding said latching member in complete locking engagement with said means and having the remaining portion flared upwardly and outwardly away from said latching member to guide said latching member to its locking engagement with said means, and a manually operated lever member for moving said locking member downwardly from its nor- 4 mal position to restore said latching member to its original engagement with said means.

MARTIN J. GOULOOZE. 

